The Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat corridor has won the ‘Best Passenger Services and Satisfaction’ award at the 19th Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo 2026 in Bhubaneswar, marking national recognition for the corridor’s passenger experience and operational performance.
Manohar Lal, Union minister for housing and urban affairs, presented the award to Shalabh Goyal, managing director of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), according to the report. NCRTC is responsible for developing and operating the Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System corridor.
The corridor began operations in October 2023 and has recorded more than 4.8 crore passenger journeys since its launch. More than 1.1 lakh passengers currently use the Namo Bharat service each day, while the highest single-day ridership recorded on the corridor is 1.68 lakh passengers.
The figures indicate the scale at which the regional rapid transit system is being used between Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut. Unlike a conventional city metro network, the corridor is designed to support faster movement across the wider National Capital Region, connecting urban centres that are separated by longer distances and have traditionally depended heavily on roads and other forms of public transport.
NCRTC also received the first prize for its exhibition at the conference. The exhibition presented the development of the corridor, its use of modern technology, multimodal transport integration and initiatives linked to transit-oriented development. These themes place the Namo Bharat project within a broader urban mobility framework, in which transport infrastructure is planned alongside connections to other modes and development around stations.
The corporation was also recognised as the ‘Best Exhibitor’ for the second consecutive year. The award acknowledged its presentation of the corridor’s infrastructure and planning approach at the national urban mobility event.
The reported passenger numbers provide an early measure of demand for regional rapid transit in the National Capital Region. The corridor’s daily usage, along with its recorded peak ridership, also makes passenger access, station integration and service quality important operational considerations as the system continues to serve commuters across the Delhi–Meerut route.
The recognition was announced during the Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo 2026 in Bhubaneswar. NCRTC’s next operational milestones and future performance will determine how the corridor’s ridership and integrated transport model develop beyond its first three years of service.
